


My favourite colour is you

by Writer_In_The_Dark



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-25 04:04:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14370528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_In_The_Dark/pseuds/Writer_In_The_Dark
Summary: One sip? Bad for me.One hit? Bad for me.One kiss? Bad for me.But I give in so easily.When new neighbors move into the house next to Johanna, she makes it her mission to crack the girl next door that burns with a fire she'd love to be engulfed in.





	1. Swamp Potato

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic - I write original stories, but this is a new street I'd love to explore. I'm English so there might be some spelling differences but I swear it's not just bad spelling. Desperately trying to reignite this fandom - who doesn't love some Joniss loving.

My favourite part of Fall is the warm sun that seems to blanket everything in a coppery glow in the evening. I've never been happier than when I'm sat in the large oak tree in the green across from my house, watching the world go by. I could spend hours up here with a bottle of homemade lemonade and my thoughts. So I'm sure you can imagine I'm pretty fucking pissed when a big, ugly movers van rolls up to the house next to mine, soon followed by a pretty lavish range rover, and beaten up red truck. The entourage park in front of my house and the one next to it, and I'm ready to go over and tell them to get their shit out of my view. As I'm about to climb down, I see my mother rushing out of the house to greet the people that've emerged from the range rover: a blonde woman in her forties, and small child with honey hair clinging to her. They talk animatedly for a minute before the woman points to the truck and calls someone to come over, gesturing at my mother. A girl I'd probably put at about 17 grudgingly gets out of the truck, slams the door so hard I can hear it in my tree, and shuffles painfully slowly over to who I assume is her mom.

I crawl up a strong branch facing them, excited to watch an argument go down as the girl stares daggers at the woman's head. Nothing happens, to my disappointment. Instead, she shakes my moms hand, crouches to tuck the back of the child's blouse into her skirt affectionately, and walks back to the truck to lift out some boxes out of the back of it. As she's pulling back the tarp, she looks up and notices me still perched on my branch like a proper weirdo. I think, for a second, I see a smirk, but she turns and walks into the empty house with an armful of boxes before I can respond.

I disappear into the foliage and wait for a few more minutes, before stealthily running back to my house, trying to dodge any awkward interactions with my new neighbours.

Entering through the back door, the smell of lasagne fills the kitchen, as my mom clatters around banging various pots and pans.

"So what're the new neighbours like?" I ask, slumping down on the table, focusing intently on pulling a bit of peeling wood from the corner of it.

"They seem so lovely. Stop that Johanna." she swats my hand from the corner of the table. "Mrs Everdeen has just moved here with her daughters. I'd like you to go and introduce yourself and invite them to dinner please". You've got to be joking.

"The brunette was having an actual fit when she was getting out of that scabby truck" I argue, nose scrunched up in distaste.

"Your attitude isn't much better, Johanna" she chides, glaring at me over the rim of her jam jar glasses. She's got a point, but angst ridden teen is my aesthetic. I slide off the table with a huff, and leave the way I came in, making my way over.

The movers van is gone, and the black range rover is parked on their drive, so it wasn't blocking ours. I rap on the door loudly, and I can hear a shuffling from the other side. The young girl with honey coloured hair opens it, giving me a sweet smile that reaches her baby blue eyes.

"Hi there" I beam - something I haven't done in a long time. I can't help it, it's infectious - she's like a tiny ray of sunshine.

"Hello" she reaches out to shake my hand, "I'm Prim". That suits her perfectly.

"Johanna" I respond, pointing to my house, "I'm your neighbour. Can I speak to your mom?" Before she can respond, I hear someone thundering down the stairs.

"Prim! How many times do I have to tell you not to answer the door to strangers" a rough female voice calls out, before appearing in the doorway with her hands on Prim's shoulders protectively. I hold my hands up in submission to show I'm no threat to her little sister, grinning wide when I recognise her as the brunette stomping around earlier.

"You were the one throwing a fit earlier" I think aloud, earning hard glare from ash grey eyes, and I can't help but feel drawn to the smoldering fire burning deep behind them.

"You were the one sat in the tree watching me" she bites back, crossing her arms in protest. Prim notices the tension rise and picks up the mangy orange cat slinking through her legs before scurrying back into the house.

"Touche", I admit, "but your gross truck was ruining the scenery".  
She ignores my jab at her truck, instead asking "who even are you?".

I start to seriously reconsider inviting this girl and her family over for dinner - I'm not sure I'll be able to get through the whole thing without back handing her across the face. Or bruising her lips with a kiss. Either sound equally appealing. After a few seconds of life contemplation, I decide my new neighbour is far too interesting brush off after an awkward first encounter.

"I'm Johanna Mason. I live next to you" I point at the house, like I had with Prim earlier. I don't reach out to shake her hand though.

"Yay for me" she deadpans. I grit my teeth and carry on.

"My mom would like to invite you and your family for dinner at 7" I huff out in exhaustion, "not that I particularly want you there. Feel free to be offended". She just glares at me some more before nodding curtly, and closing the door in my face. Christ. Flossing a cats teeth would be easier than getting a smile out of this girl.  As I'm making my way down the porch steps, I hear the front door creak open and as I turn around, I'm greeted with the gorgeous visual that is my fiery next door neighbour. It's a shame she has such a sour personality to match, but I've never been one to turn down a challenge.

"I'm Katniss" she calls out to me.

"Katniss" I draw the name out slowly, and decide it fits well in my mouth. "Is that some sort of plant?"  
She toes the ground, suddenly becoming very interested in her wood paneled hallway.

"It's like a potato" she says simply, shrugging. "A swamp potato". I burst out into shriek-laughter than borders on hysteric, cradling my aching ribs, because _no one_ could not find that funny. Even Katniss smiles a little, before rolling her eyes and slipping her mask of indifference back on, waiting for me to calm down. Half a minute later I'm wiping imaginary tears from my cheeks, and shooting her finger guns.  
"See ya later, Swamp Potato" I purr, throwing her a wink over my shoulder as I jog back to my house.


	2. Probably the most awkward dinner I've ever had

Deathly silence. My mother is hovering around, serving everyone a hearty portion of lasagne, and we're all sat awakwardly cramped at my dining table, no one saying a word. My parents are at either ends of the table, and I have Katniss to my right, my older brother Chase to my left, and opposite us are Forrest my younger brother, Mrs. Everdeen, and Prim. I side eye Katniss to see if she's feeling as uncomfortable as I am, and if her body language is anything to go by, she is. My mom dollops a huge portion of lasagne on her plate, and I watch in amusement at Katniss' wide eyes.

"You look like a girl with a hearty appetite, like our Johanna here" my mom chatters; I think she just called me fat. How humiliating.

"Thanks Mom" I mutter, tucking in as she sits down and gestures for everyone to start. For a few minutes the only sound filling the room is that of forks scraping against ceramic, before Prim speaks up.

"This is so tasty Mrs. Mason" she compliments quietly, "I love lasagne".

"Me too kid" I grin. She's so different to Katniss, not just physically, but personality wise too. I wonder if they have different fathers.

"Katniss is a horrible cook" she giggles, "She could burn water if you gave her the chance". This has everyone but Mrs. Everdeen and Katniss laughing, enamored by the cherub-like child, and no one but me seems to notice the tension.

"I was a little busy holding the family together to become the next Gordon Ramsay, Prim" she states impassively. No one's laughing now. Mrs. Everdeen pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs.

"Please don't start Katniss" she pleads. Never mind smoldering embers, there's a full blown forest fire in Katniss' eyes now. I'm almost intimidated. _Almost_.

"Funnily enough, I didn't have time to hone my cookery skills when I was raising my kid sister" she all but growls, "but you wouldn't know anything about that, because you were spaced out half the time, and unconcious the rest". Well shit, I bet my mom wasn't counting on some unresolved family drama to rear it's ugly head at her innocently planned dinner.

"I'd just lost my husband" Mrs. Everdeen spits out, glaring at Katniss.

"And I'd just lost my father" the brunette retorts with a real 'go fuck yourself' expression, and my heart plummets for her. I gingerly rest my hand on her thigh as a sign of consolation, slightly scared that she'll turn and aim that angry glare at me.

"Please stop" Prim squeaks, "I didn't mean to upset you Katniss". The fire in her eyes is visibly extinguished when she looks at her sister, a sad smile embellishing her features.

"I'm sorry, little duck. This dinner really is delicious Mrs. Mason, thank you". Katniss backs down, and an awkward energy settles over the table as we all start eating in silence again. I wait for her to brush my hand off her knee, but she doesn't, so I eat the rest of my dinner uncomfortably with my left hand, earning a weird look from Forrest before I subtly flip him off and glower at him until he shrugs it off.

By the time we're done, most of the tension has lifted. Emily, as she's now introduced herself as, insisted on helping my mom clear the plates, and my brothers and dad have already made a beeline to watch a football game on the television. Prim, Katniss and I are left sat at the table alone.

"Do you guys want to relocate to somewhere a bit comfier?" I ask, hoping Katniss isn't planning on storming out of here the first chance she gets. That seems to be her trademark move. Various whoops and curses float in from the front room, and Katniss pulls a face.

"I think your lounge is a little crowded as it is" she states, and I can't help but roll my eyes at her.

"Yes, because I was totally inviting you and your 13 year old sister to go watch the football with my brothers. I meant do you want to come up to my room for a bit, brainless". Prim jumps up at this, ever curious, and practically drags Katniss out of her seat with large doe eyes and a pushed out bottom lip. Katniss gives in immediately and nods for me to lead the way.

I lead them up the staircase and into my gorgeous room. Biased opinion, I know, but I personally decorated it and I love it. My headboard and bed frame are hand crafted cherry wood, matching the various mahogany shelves I have dotted abstractly around the walls. Fairy lights hang from each of them, throwing a warm glow over the room as I walk round turning each set on, leaning against my desk as I watch their jaws drop in awe.

"That's mahogany!" Prim gasps, wandering over to a huge, intricately detailed shelf I hand carved on the wall opposite my bed holding my own personal library.

"Yes it is" I grin proudly, "my father and I harvested it ourselves. We found a grove of wild growing mahogany trees when we were out one day, and chopped some down for his lumber business."

"Isn't that a bit illegal?" Katniss raises an eyebrow in distaste, but the admiration in her eyes couldn't be masked.

"Yes, it is" I admit a little less proudly. "But everything you see in here, I chopped and carved myself. I put my love and effort in to it, and it turned out pretty well if you ask me" I boast. Prim is skimming her fingers over the spines of my books, settling on a hard-back copy of a Michael Morpurgo book. She pulls it out with a little effort and plods over to my bed, settling happily on it as she begins to read the first page. She's beyond cute, I can see why Katniss is so different with her than everyone else. Prim's gentle nature seems to rub off on Katniss when they're around each other.

"Oh shit" Katniss mumbles, pulling me from my thoughts, as she walks over to my open bedroom window facing her house. There's something a little odd about hearing someone that seems so straight-edged cursing, but that doesn't mean it's not attractive as hell. I follow her to the window and fail to see the problem, until she jams her finger against the pane and points at the window directly opposite it, showing a barely furnished room, with just a bed and wardrobe in it.

"That's my room" she frowns, as if the idea of our houses being next to each other didn't occur to her.

"That's kinda the meaning of neighbours, brainless. I know you only moved in today but surely you haven't forgotten that we live next to each other?" I smirk at her, but she isn't amused.

"I think it's kinda cool. I can send you morse code messages via a flash light through the window" I ramble, eyes lighting up at the idea of being able to put that morse code book I bought myself months ago to good use.

"And how am I going to respond? With smoke signals?" she laughs. "I don't think so, Mason. Hand me your phone". 

"Asking for my number so soon Everdeen? And here I thought you hated me" I grin, passing her my phone from my back pocket.

"You wish" she scoffs, "I just don't want you shining a flashlight through my window at an ungodly hour". She puts her number in my phone, and I hear it ping as I'm putting it back into my pocket as she sends a text so I have hers too. I'm about to ask her about what she said about her father at dinner, but Emily shouts up for Katniss and Prim to come down because they were leaving. Katniss mumbles a goodbye and walks over to Prim who very reluctantly hands me the book back.

"Keep it kid" I smile, "look after it for me". Prim bounces up to me and flings her arms around my waist, and I pat her back awkwardly. Growing up with brothers, I'm used to roughhousing, not affection. Katniss gives me a genuine smile, lighting up her face in a way that steals my breath momentarily as she watches the interaction, before the two sisters turn and leave. I walk with them to the landing, watching them say their various goodbye's and thank-you's to my mom before they depart.

I flop onto my back on my bed, and hiss in pain as my phone slips out and digs into my back. I check my texts, smiling when I see Katniss's.

**Katniss: It's Katniss.**

**Johanna: No shit, brainless. Thanks for such a fun-filled dinner, I haven't had excitement like that since I saw this girl at my school bite a teacher.**

I close my eyes and replay the events at dinner in my head. Obviously, her dad was out of the picture, but the way Katniss was talking about him sounded like he was never coming back. It was painful to think that he might be dead - I couldn't imagine losing one of my parents. I let my mind wander to my hand on her leg, and how she let it stay there for the rest of dinner, and why she let it stay there for the rest of dinner. She's hard to peg - I can't tell if she's gay or straight or anywhere in between. Maybe she doesn't even know herself; raising her little sister wouldn't have allowed her much time for figuring things like that out. My phone pings and pulls me back to reality as I read the text.

**Katniss: Look out your window.**

I hop out of bed and practically sprint to the window, frowning hard in faux offence at Katniss' hands pressed up against the pane, flipping me off with a smirk almost reaching her ears, before she grabs her curtains and exaggeratedly pulls them shut with a flourish. I can't help but laugh at her - maybe my new neighbours aren't so bad after all.


End file.
